Page 55 of The Gambler

Nope. They weren’t having any sister spa days anytime soon.

“I need to bring Cruz in,” she repeated. “If I don’t, Luca will kill him, and I can’t live with him going to jail again.”

“You mean, like the last time, when you sent me the list with his name on it?”

“I didn’t know!” Tess snapped. “I didn’t know what would happen with that list. I thought you were just gonna expose those investors for supporting a research that killed people. Just like I couldn’t imagine you would go after the pharmaceutical companies’ factory and blow it up. I didn’t know.”

Onyx put her phone back in her pocket. “I know you didn’t. And you should stop feeling guilty about that. They had it a long time coming.”

“An innocent man died!”

“There’s no such thing as an innocent man.”

“Do you even hear yourself?” It was like talking to a wall. “Why are you doing this? What’s your interest in Cruz?”

“He knows how to get to them.”

“Them? Who is them?”

“Vil Corp.”

Tess couldn’t hold in a gasp. The poor girl had obviously lost her marbles. “I think I’m in need of a hearing aid, ‘cause I think I just heard you say Vil Corp.”

Her sister scowled. “You’ve heard me right.”

“Vil Corp is a myth. There’s no such thing as a global Big Pharma conglomerate ruling the pharmaceutical world. Believing in them is like believing in one government that rules all of humanity.”

“Think what you will. I’m on their trail and I will find them. They took my mom from me, so Iwillmake them pay.”

“You want revenge.” It was like talking to a real-life Count of Monte Cristo. “Even if they did exist, which is a big if, you can’t take on a gigantic corporation all by yourself. Don’t ruin your life with an endless quest. Please.”

“No,youwill get yourself hurt, if you don’t back off. Cruz already killed one woman to cover his tracks. You don't want to be the next.”

This time, her threatening tone couldn’t be missed. “You can’t go on like this. One day, someone better than you, with more extraordinary skills, will cross your path.”

“Doubt it. Also, don’t really care. As long as Cruz gets me what I want, I’m okay with the aftermath. I wasn’t planning on retiring to some beach, to sip Mai Tais all day long anyway.”

Tess tensed when Onyx’s eyes went to a place behind her. She turned, only to find herself face to face with a seething Luca.

“Luca… I…”

“Save it.” He stepped back, as if the mere sight of her repelled him.

“I’m so sorry, Luca. Please, let me explain.” She took a step toward him, to only find him walking backward.

“Not. Good. Enough. You lied to me.”

“I didn’t lie. I just…”

“You just forgot to tell me the truth?”

“I…”

“I trusted you!” he roared. “You have any idea how difficult that was? It was the biggest fucking gamble of my life. I thought I knew betrayal, but as it turns out, I know nothing. But most of all? I don’t want to knowyouanymore.”

Had it been possible to wither and die on the spot, she would have chosen that option, no questions asked. Instead, she froze, her limbs refusing to move, staring at the spot Luca had just vacated.

Her eyes went to Onyx, who’d just grabbed her bag from the floor.

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